Abstract

Reef development in the Famennian and Carboniferous successions of Belgium is more common than previously thought, and 10 broad time intervals of reef development can be differentiated. Reef formation is due to a variety of reef fabrics. Microbial communities are important for most reef frameworks, and often crucial for formation and stabilization of frameworks. Larger skeletal frameworks are rare. However, the interaction of skeletal bioconstructors and microbial communities is common, and results in successful reef building. However, microbial communities are still the backbone of these reefs.

The majority of reefs are small, and a significant number formed in environments of restricted marine facies. Large reefs developed only in the late Tournaisian and late Visean. Their initiation and formation was controlled by the geometry of the shelf.

Three hierarchical levels, discussed below under the headings paleobiology, local environment, and regional and global environment, controlled reef formation. Important limiting factors were relative water depth, sea-level oscillations, climate, shelf geometry and the needs of the individual bioconstructor.

In general, Belgian reef diversity reflects the global picture, but significant differences can be recognized in the different time slices. In particular, the abundance of middle Visean reefs is a unique feature. The onset of the Variscian orogeny terminated all reef development in Belgium, and reefs younger than late Visean are unknown.

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